Dossier 9: Online Fandom

Fan communities are getting more and more powerful both on- and offline. Fans, or stans, are raising money for good causes like Black Lives Matter, and sabotaged Trump’s Tulsa rally during the 2020 presidential campaign. Such bottom-up actions can be refreshing on an internet dominated by a number of Big Tech companies. But stans also have a frightening side. In this online dossier we look at how fans organise online. Artist and guest programmer Sjef van Beers introduces stan culture. We did video interviews with a Rihanna, BTS and ex-Miley Cyrus stan. Christina Eugenia Puentes illustrates the workings of a fan. Guus Hoeberechts talks to Oumaima about her life in the BTS community. And Lilian Stolk interviews David Turner on how stans influence the music industry.